Trump Administration to Defend Cuba Embargo at UN, Reversing Obama

[Judi Lynn]

Source: Associated Press

October 31, 2017 5:49 PM
Associated Press

The Trump administration will defend America's decades-old economic embargo on Cuba in a United Nations vote this week, the State Department said Tuesday, in a reversal from the Obama administration that reflects deteriorating U.S.-Cuban relations.

Every year the U.N. votes to condemn the embargo, and for years the U.S. predictably voted "no." But last year, under President Barack Obama, the U.S. abstained for the first time, as Obama and Cuban President Raul Castro moved forward with the historic warming of relations.

A "no" vote Wednesday from U.S. Ambassador to the U.N. Nikki Haley will return the United States to a place of extreme isolation within the global community over its policy toward Cuba, potentially undermining the Trump administration's broader goals for engagement with Latin America. The U.S. embargo on Cuba is almost universally opposed throughout the world.

. . .

The yearly vote condemning the U.S. embargo has reliably passed overwhelmingly. Voting "no" means the U.S. will once again be pitted against almost every other nation.


Read more: https://www.voanews.com/a/trump-administration-defend-cuba-embargo-un-reverse-obama-stance/4094439.html

[George II]

1. Obama should have continued the embargo, cancelled the ACA, and many other "negative" things....

...seems trump is obsessed with undoing everything Obama ever did. Too bad we didn't know this last year, Obama could have used reverse psychology.

[NCjack]

2. I think I know how the Cubans can change Trump's mind.

They have to approve several Trump Hotels in Cuba. And sign contracts that are generous with Trump buddies.

[sandensea]

3. Cheeto always has his lackeys, Temer & Macri, to back him on whatever turn to the right he proposes

His two little seals of approval, if you will.

[Judi Lynn]

4. They are doing their best to plunder and impoverish the working class in Brazil, Argentina, too,

not to mention stripping away every bit of educational, medical, social benefits which had been created in spite of heavy resistance from the right by Lula, Dilma, and the Kirchners, leaders who had made so many gains raising the standard of living for the poor.

It's so ugly to see other leaders mirroring what Trump and George W. did when they laid waste to the gains made by Clinton and Obama. Unscrupulous greed seems to operate the same way everywhere.

That is some kind of seal of approval! So cute I hate to leave the page!

[sandensea]

5. They do indeed have a lot in common.

This, I think, is so important that people make themselves heard in large, peaceful demonstrations - and that a muscular, independent press remain vocal and vigilant.

Trump, as you know, has been known to be truly rattled by well-attended demonstrations - and by press coverage especially (I wish someone could leak audio of his hissy fits!)

His pal Macri, in turn, was forced to veer his economic policy to the middle after a series of very massive demonstrations throughout Argentina's deep 2016 recession.

Unions got most of the wage hikes they asked for, utility hikes and other austerity moves were curtailed, and as a result the economy has been recovering since March. There is talk of renewed austerity and moves against labor rights - but I doubt Macri will be able to go as far with these as he'd like.

Temer, on the other hand, is the most inflexible of the three. He doesn't seem to let his 3% approval ratings - and Brazil's own, very animated demonstrations - moderate him as far as I can tell. Perhaps O'Benario could go into more detail as to what effect popular discontent has had on his regime.

Glad you liked the seal of approval, Judi. I used to draw one on kids' schoolwork as a substitute teacher years ago; they always got a kick out of it.

Horrible what happened in Manhattan. I certainly hope Cheeto won't get into his head to invade Uzbekistan. I bet he's mulling the very thing - mostly because he thinks a good war might rescue his presidency like it did Dubya's (for a while anyway).

Hope you had a good Halloween, Judi. All the Best always.